Welp, here we are. It's already the end of summer. I start classes back up this coming week. If you start seeing weeks where I don't update anything, I'm either too stressed/busy/taking a break.
Also one of my classes involves a lot of writing from what I hear. Hopefully it won't make me sick of writing in general.
Reviews are very much appreciated!
Leafpool decided that she wasn't going to wait around and see if the stone would continue to influence Firestar's thoughts and actions. Every day wasted was another day for the stone to place unwelcome thoughts into Firestar's mind. Even with Firestar's sudden drowsiness and exhaustion rendering him unable to do much of anything physically, she figured that it would be easier for the stone to worm itself further into Firestar's head.
As she was making her way to Starclan's version of the Moonpool, she pondered whether it was a better idea to try and make the attempt at communicating with the stone during daytime or nighttime. When would the stone lower its defenses enough for her to slip through? Did it tighten its defenses and hold over Firestar when he was asleep and thus thwart any Starclan cat's attempts at visiting him in his dreams? She slowed down mid-thought, suddenly frustrated.
She knew next to nothing about how the stone worked, aside from the fact that it had turned her father into a dragon and that it was scarily good at influencing and protecting his mind. And she didn't know how exactly she was going to communicate with it, besides the usual manner that all Starclan cats used.
Except she hadn't visited anyone's dreams yet, so she wasn't even sure if she was going to do it right.
Regardless, she was essentially going in blind.
Leafpool was so lost in her thoughts and planning that she didn't notice that she had already arrived at the Moonpool. It was an exact replica of the Moonpool sitting within the living world, but the waters reflected the living world below instead of the band of stars one would usually see when they looked down into the pool. It was the primary entrance and exit of Starclan. It was through the Moonpool that their powers over dreams could be used at their strongest.
Of course, any of the viewing pools scattered throughout Starclan territory could also be used for the same purpose, but entering the dreams of a cat through them tended to end in shorter visits.
The Moonpool also acted as a another, albeit stronger, viewing pool, and there was a cat inside already using it.
She stiffened as she realized that she wasn't alone. The cat, the ginger tom with white paws that had commanded everyone's respect at the last disastrous meeting was crouched beside the Moonpool, staring unblinkingly into its waters.
There was a possibility that he would try to stop her. She could either slip past him, or wait another night to enact her plan...
"Don't bother hiding. I know you're there," the tom suddenly meowed. She flicked her tail nervously, before padding out into view.
His ears swiveled towards to where her pawsteps were, but didn't take his eyes away from the Moonpool. He opened his mouth to scent the air, and snapped his jaws closed as fast as he had opened them.
"Leafpool, right?"
She hoped that there wasn't too much fear scent escaping her.
"How do you know who I am?" she asked suspiciously. Especially because she had hardly been introduced to any new cats, let alone this tom.
He let out a snort. "I make it my business to know all the cats within my clan, alive or dead." His clan?
Then she understood. Four cats. Four cats who commanded enough respect for everyone to stop their petty arguments and fighting and listen. One small and wiry, like Windclan. The tom with sleek, shiny fur, like that of a Riverclan cat. One with cunning in her eyes, like that of a Shadowclan cat. And the last...
"Thunderstar," she uttered, half in shock, half in reverence. The Thunderclan founder only nodded in acknowledgment, continuing to hold his gaze towards the pool.
Her eyes trailed over to the Moonpool, and to her surprise, the Thunderclan camp was currently being reflected within the water. Thunderstar's eyes were transfixed onto the dragon that was situated above the camp. There was pain in his eyes, and also regret, like he was blaming himself for Firestar's situation.
"I care for all my cats. But it always pains me when I can never do anything to help them. Especially my successors," he sighed, finally looking away from the Moonpool. His fierce gaze pierced through her. "I know why you're here."
"And you're not going to stop me?" she asked him slowly.
He merely shook his head. "You're our best bet in getting through to Firestar," he said softly. Leafpool's face twisted into a bit of a glare, and he dipped his head slightly in response. "Now, I'm not saying that in order for Starclan to get past the stone, I'm saying that as a concerned cat who wishes he could do more to help one of his successors."
They stood there for a few awkward heartbeats. "I should be trying to stop you," he sighed. "But I get the feeling that you'll just try a different way of trying to help your father," he purred sadly. He gestured towards the Moonpool, and her eyes widened as she realized that Thunderstar was basically giving her his approval to go forward with her plan.
She merely nodded at him as she stepped forward, a paw already dipped into the water.
"Good luck," she heard him murmur softly before the Moonpool dropped her into the Thunderclan camp.
It was a sight for sore eyes. Part of her wanted to pad into the medicine den and lay down next to Jayfeather and Briarlight out of habit.
But she wasn't here to reminisce and visit the cats she loved. Her eyes were focused on the dragon above the camp, blissfully sleeping away his worries. As she climbed up the hollow, she noticed her father constantly making little shifts here and there, and she craned her head further to see bare branches poking his back and wings. He was clearly uncomfortable.
She blinked slowly at the three cats pressed at his side, enjoying the warmth he was giving out. Bramblestar and Squirrelflight were sleeping next to each other by Firestar's side, their backs almost touching. Sandstorm was up nearer to his head, purring lowly, as if aware that her mate was uncomfortable and making her best attempt to lull him into a more peaceful sleep.
She dearly wished she could join them.
Leafpool walked up by Firestar's chest where the stone lay, the darkness of night making it almost blend in with Firestar's scales. It was by its constantly fiery center that she could identify it.
'I really hope I know what I'm doing...' she thought worriedly to herself. Maybe Starclan's standard way of entering dreams would work here?
She pressed her nose onto the stone, fur bristling at the heat that seared her muzzle, closed her eyes, and concentrated.
'I want to help him. I want him to know that I'm okay. I want him to know that my death wasn't his fault.'
And something snapped in her head with a click.
When she opened her eyes, there was darkness everywhere, save for the red streams that wove through the black. She herself was standing on a red stream. Her eyes gazed around in amazement at the sight, and then she wondered where she even was.
'Is this the inside of the stone?'
"Not quite little one," a voice resounded in her head. Not expecting her thoughts to be answered, she swung her head around wildly, looking for whoever answered her. A hiss of fright escaped her, and she squinted as a brilliant red light exploded in front of her, bringing forth waves of heat. Her eyes widened as the intensity died down.
"This is a mindscape."
"Father?" she whispered. Or at least, she thought it was. It was him, but his form was entirely covered in a pulsating red light.
No, this wasn't her father. This was the stone, having taken Firestar's form for itself.
She glared at it, taking offense to the form it had chosen. But the stone merely blinked Firestar's eyes slowly at her, and she was taken aback at the clear display of affection.
"Why so surprised? I am bonded to this body. You are as much my hatchling as you are his," it laughed lightly with Firestar's voice.
"So that's why I could get in so easily," she murmured to herself.
"As I said before- not quite," it spoke. She craned her neck upwards and stared at it in confusion. "Your... usual method you Starclan cats used wouldn't have worked. But I sensed you wanting entrance, and who I am to deny a hatchling from wanting to see her father?" it purred. "To put it simply, I let you in and guided you here."
Leafpool's fur puffed up in shock, especially at what it was implying... "But what about Bluestar?" she exclaimed.
"Her," it mused. "I let her in to warn her. I showed her that I couldn't be removed, and showed her what would happen if certain cats were to die." Its face soured into a glare. "Too bad she didn't convey the warnings to those Starclan cats quick enough. Or at least, they went about it poorly. Those fools decided that another poorly trained medicine cat was enough to protect you from the Dark Forest," it growled bitterly, slamming its tail down hard onto the red stream they were standing on. The force of it sent a rumble through Leafpool, and she had to dig her claws into the stream so it didn't knock her off her paws.
Then she stiffened in shock. "How did you know that Spottedleaf was my only protection against Mapleshade?" Which also put some doubt into her head; why was Spottedleaf the only Starclan cat who stuck by her side? She said that Leafpool had needed to be kept safe, and she knew very well why that was, but she would have assumed that Starclan would have sent a few warriors to keep her safe, not another medicine cat.
The stone was partially right in that Spottedleaf was poorly trained. All medicine cats were, unless you were a warrior first, but medicine cats were forbidden from being attacked.
"You can't hide anything from me here. Your mind is open for me to read," it snorted. She felt a shiver run up her spine. It was reading her thoughts, which meant it knew why she was here.
"Quite," it said. "You want me to lower my defenses in order to let those infernal Starclan cats in," it spat with vitriol.
"I'm a Starclan cat," she meowed dryly. "But why do you hate Starclan so much?"
"Of course not you, hatchling," it murmured. "But the rest of them only want to use him. The living only serve to worship Starclan and fulfill their prophecies. Starclan can't even be bothered to help anyone, even themselves. They cannot be trusted." It then raised Firestar's wings in a triumphant manner. "But dragons do not bow to such cowards!"
"Then why tamper with his mind so much?!" she cried out.
"To rid him of any sense of loyalty or obligation to those fools. Firestar was resisting my help, and kept looking to Starclan in order to resist his transformation into his truest self, so I tampered, as you call it, with his mind in order for him to be more open with his new form and powers. Starclan are a hindrance, so I sought to remove their influence over Firestar."
But it all cycled back to one question: why? Why Firestar? Why was it here, and for what purpose?
"Ah, ah. That would be telling," it purred.
She scowled at it, although her puffed up fur betrayed how scared she was feeling.
It suddenly let out a thoughtful hum. "Here's how this is going to go. You tell those Starclan cats to make themselves useful and find a spot near or within the clans that Firestar can fit comfortably in, and perhaps I can let certain cats visit him in his dreams," it offered.
She narrowed her eyes at it, knowing that it had an agenda. "After all the hatred you poured out about Starclan, why suddenly let a few cats in?"
"I have my reasons," it sniffed.
Was it going to spin this into influencing Firestar further?
The stone stared at her impassively. If that was the reason, it wasn't confirming anything for her.
"Such a spot doesn't exist though. If it did, Firestar would have moved there already," she argued.
It rolled its eyes. "If there's one thing I can't do, it's to pull Firestar away from his treasures. And that means if they don't leave Thunderclan, he won't leave Thunderclan either. Not that that's a bad thing. His treasures should always come first," it rumbled. "But if such a spot doesn't exist as you claim, then make one," it told her.
Before she could argue further, it swung its head to the side, like it was seeing something that she couldn't see. Then it lowered Firestar's head to nuzzle her gently. "Time for you to leave hatchling," it said with such affection that Leafpool almost believed in that moment that she was with Firestar instead of the stone.
Then a bright red light blinded her, and when she opened her eyes next, she was next to Firestar's sleeping form. Silverpelt was beginning to fade into a brilliant sky full of purples, oranges, and pinks. A yawn caught her attention, as Bramblestar's eyes were beginning to flutter open.
How did the stone know that it was dawn?
Regardless, she knew that it was time to return to Starclan and report to Thunderstar.
'How am I going to find or make a spot for Firestar to stay at?'
Writing the stone's explanation of why it hates Starclan was like pulling teeth and I'm not sure if I like it.
The stone believes that dragons should be the ones on top. Firestar is the King, and he shouldn't be pleasing dead cats who don't even care about the clans half the time. If that makes sense. Things go a lot differently in your head and then you want to convey it into writing and stuff doesn't go well...
Tell me how I did.